Wag the Dog (1997)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Barry Levinson

Writers (WGA):

Larry Beinhart (book)
Hilary Henkin (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

9 January 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

A Hollywood producer. A Washington spin-doctor. When they get together, they can make you believe anything.

Plot:

Before elections, a spin-doctor and a Hollywood producer join efforts to "fabricate" a war in order to cover-up a presidential sex scandal.

Plot Keywords:

Hollywood | Scandal | Cover Up | Albania | Death

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 12 nominations

Cast

Dustin Hoffman	...	Stanley Motss
Robert De Niro	...	Conrad Brean
Anne Heche	...	Winifred Ames
Denis Leary	...	Fad King
Willie Nelson	...	Johnny Dean
Andrea Martin	...	Liz Butsky
Kirsten Dunst	...	Tracy Lime
William H. Macy	...	CIA Agent Charles Young
John Michael Higgins	...	John Levy
Suzie Plakson	...	Grace
Woody Harrelson	...	Sergeant William Schumann
Michael Belson	...	President
Suzanne Cryer	...	Amy Cain
Jason Cottle	...	A.D.
David Koechner	...	Director
Harland Williams	...	Pet Wrangler
Sean Masterson	...	Bob Richardson
Bernard Hocke	...	Technician
Jenna Byrne	...	Sharon
Maurice Woods	...	Kid with Shoes (as Maurkice Woods)
Roebuck 'Pops' Staples	...	Himself (as Pops Staples)
Phil Morris	...	Co-Pilot
Chris Ellis	...	Officer
Ed Morgan	...	Store Owner
J. Patrick McCormack	...	Pilot
Jennifer Manley	...	Teenage Girl
Edrie Warner	...	Judge
Richard Lawson	...	CIA Agent
Drena De Niro	...	Gate Stewardess
Alberto Vazquez	...	Combine Driver
Stephanie Kemp	...	Aide #1
Jack Esformes	...	Aide #2
John Cho	...	Aide #3
Michael Reid Davis	...	Aide #4
Brant Cotton	...	Sharon's Boyfriend
Kenneth Kern	...	Nashville Engineer
Michelle Levinson	...	Faye
Ron McCoy	...	Limo Driver
Derek Morgan	...	CIA Agent (as Derrick Morgan)
Garry R. Roleder	...	USAF Chaplain
Merle Haggard	...	Himself
James Belushi	...	Himself (as Jim Belushi)
George Gaynes	...	Senator Cole
Rick Scarry	...	White House Reporter
Cliff B. Howard	...	Ranger
Furley Lumpkin	...	Raking Dad #1
Sean Fenton	...	Raking Dad #2
Nikki Crawford	...	Mom
John Franklin	...	Jockey #1
Kevin Furlong	...	Jockey #2
Lu Elrod	...	Southern Woman
Michael Villani	...	Male Commentator
Shirley Prestia	...	Crossfire Moderator
Warren Wilson	...	Crossfire Interviewer
Terry Anzur	...	Factory Reporter
Melissa Gardner	...	Santa Fe Reporter
Giselle Fernandez	...	Female Press Person
Christine Devine	...	Chicago Newscaster
Richard Saxton	...	Chicago Newscaster #2
Geoffrey Blake	...	Media Guy #1 (as Geffrey Blake)
Jerry Levine	...	Media Guy #2
Jack Shearer	...	Sklansky
Emmett Miller	...	News Break Reporter
Bill Handel	...	Andrews AFB Reporter
Arlene Afshangol	...	Albanian Girl
Hope Garber	...	Albanian Grandmother
Gina Menza	...	Press Room Reporter
Maggie Mellin	...	Mrs. Rose
Tom Murray	...	Aircraft Carrier Reporter
Ralph Tabakin	...	Southern Man
Marguerite Moreau	...	Teenage Girl in Audience
Jay Leno	...	Himself
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Nicole Avant	...	American Dream Singer
Tom Bähler	...	American Dream Singer (as Tom Bahler)
Allen Carter	...	American Dream Singer
Carmen Carter	...	American Dream Singer
Lance Eaton	...	American Dream Singer
Karen Geraghty	...	American Dream Singer
James Gilstrap	...	American Dream Singer
Jennifer Gross	...	American Dream Singer
Wendy Lou Halvorsen	...	American Dream Singer
Anthony Holiday	...	American Dream Singer
Brad Kalas	...	American Dream Singer
Merle Haggard and the Strangers	...	Performers
Billy Trudel	...	American Dream Singer
Mark Vieha	...	American Dream Singer
Julia Waters	...	American Dream Singer
Oren Waters	...	American Dream Singer
Maxine Waters Willard	...	American Dream Singer (as Maxine Waters)
Phillip V. Caruso	...	War Commercial Photographer (uncredited)
Craig T. Nelson	...	Senator John Neal (uncredited)
Robert Richardson	...	Man in TV Studio (uncredited)
Glendon Rich	...	Grieving Politician (uncredited)
Chelsea Talbott	...	Crying Girl At Funeral Parade (uncredited)
Paul Webster	...	Limo Driver (uncredited)

Directed by
Barry Levinson

Writing credits (WGA)
Larry Beinhart		(book "American Hero")
Hilary Henkin		(screenplay) and
David Mamet		(screenplay)

Produced by
Michael De Luca	....	executive producer
Robert De Niro	....	producer
Barry Levinson	....	producer
Eric McLeod	....	co-producer
Claire Rudnick Polstein	....	executive producer
Jane Rosenthal	....	producer
Ezra Swerdlow	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Mark Knopfler

Cinematography by
Robert Richardson		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Stu Linder

Casting by
Ellen Chenoweth
Debra Zane

Production Design by
Wynn Thomas

Art Direction by
Mark Worthington

Set Decoration by
Robert Greenfield

Costume Design by
Rita Ryack

Makeup Department
Hazel Catmull	....	key hair stylist
Kathrine Gordon	....	hair stylist
Ilona Herman	....	hair stylist: Mr. De Niro
Ilona Herman	....	makeup artist: Mr. De Niro
Mark Landon	....	makeup artist
Peter Montagna	....	key makeup artist
Elaine L. Offers	....	makeup artist (as Elaine Offers)
Daniel C. Striepeke	....	makeup artist: Mr. Hoffman
Michael White	....	hair stylist: Mr. Hoffman
Melissa A. Yonkey	....	hair stylist: Mr. Harrelson (as Melissa Yonkey)

Production Management
Blair Daily	....	post-production supervisor
Carla Fry	....	executive in charge of production
Eric McLeod	....	unit production manager
Bonnie Weis	....	production supervisor: second unit
Laurie Kaye	....	production manager: special war/news segments (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ken Arlidge	....	second unit director
Amy Sayres	....	first assistant director
Amy Schmidt	....	second second assistant director
Christopher Swartout	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Jose M. Arreguin	....	propmaker foreman
Peter Bankins	....	property master
Tim Donelan	....	lead man
Kirk Essiambre	....	property assistant
John French	....	paint foreman
Joe Louis Garcia	....	construction grip
Ildefonso Goris	....	greensman
Tammy High	....	construction estimator
Bill 'Kauhane' Hoyt	....	stand-by painter (as Bill 'Kahuane' Hoyt)
Steve Joyal	....	art department coordinator
Diane Kramer	....	art production assistant (as Diana Kramer)
Scott W. Leslie	....	set dresser
Alberto Christiano Lombardo	....	assistant property master (as Alberto Lombardo)
Jeff Markwith	....	set designer
Jim McDermott	....	set dresser
Robert McKelvey	....	propmaker foreman
Kathy Meherin	....	labor foreperson
Mark Pallatt	....	set dresser
Stephen J. Readmond	....	on-set dresser
Shana Sigmond	....	assistant set decorator
Frank Simplico	....	tool foreman
John Slatsky	....	set dresser
Billy Spire	....	general foreman
Christopher Tandon	....	assistant art director
Duke Tomasick	....	construction coordinator
Carl Catanese	....	on-set dresser: Washington DC (uncredited)
Mary Locatell	....	illustrator (uncredited)
Byron K. Lovelace	....	props: New York (uncredited)

Sound Department
Mike Boudry	....	adr recordist
Lindakay Brown	....	dialogue editor
Steve Cantamessa	....	sound mixer
Tony Eckert	....	foley mixer
Ben Gold	....	supervising assistant sound editor
J.R. Grubbs	....	sound effects editor
Lora Hirschberg	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tim Holland	....	supervising sound editor
Tom Johnson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Doc Kane	....	adr mixer
Scott La Rue	....	cable puller (as Scott LaRue)
Mary Helen Leasman	....	foley editor
Diane Linn	....	adr recordist
Marilyn McCoppen	....	adr editor
Frank 'Pepe' Merel	....	foley re-recordist
Al Nelson	....	sound re-recordist
Susan Popovic	....	assistant sound editor
Charleen Richards	....	adr mixer
Claire Sanfilippo	....	dialogue editor
Michael Silvers	....	dialogue supervisor
Greg Steele	....	adr mixer
Gary Thomas	....	boom operator
Dennie Thorpe	....	foley artist
Tami Treadwell	....	adr recordist
Jana Vance	....	foley artist
Mary Works	....	assistant sound editor
Mark Burton	....	production sound mixer: video unit (uncredited)
Sean England	....	foley recordist (uncredited)
David E. Turner	....	machine room operator (uncredited)
David E. Turner	....	sound transferer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Greg Dennison	....	special effects assistant
Jim Hanson	....	special effects foreman
Dennis King	....	special effects coordinator
Edward Reiff Jr.	....	special effects assistant (as Ed Reife Jr.)
Dale Riggs	....	special effects assistant
Ray L. Wilkerson	....	special effects assistant

Visual Effects by
Krystyna Demkowicz	....	executive in charge of production: Matte World Digital (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Stephen B. Abrams	....	dolly grip: "b" camera
Halo Amrani	....	lamp operator (as Halo Amrani-Gor)
Ken Arlidge	....	director of photography: second unit
Nick Arnds	....	grip (as Nick Arnds IV)
Roger Awad	....	lamp operator
Michael Brennan	....	dolly grip: "b" camera
Phillip V. Caruso	....	still photographer (as Phil Caruso)
Barry Clint	....	grip
Rick Colosimo	....	grip
John T. Connor	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera (as John Connor)
Amy DeMarte	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Joseph Dianda	....	key grip
Shawn Ensign	....	grip (as R. Shawn Ensign)
Jamie Franta	....	grip
David Gamerman	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Chris Leidholdt	....	rigging key grip
Jim Leidholdt	....	rigging grip
William Leslie	....	dolly grip: "b" camera
Jeanne Lipsey	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Fredrick W. Marx III	....	lamp operator
Roger Meilink	....	rigging gaffer
Sean Mennie	....	camera production assistant
Daniel P. Moore	....	video assist operator (as Dan Moore)
Robert W. Morgenroth	....	video supervisor (as Bob Morgenroth)
Scott Patten	....	best boy grip
Reinhart 'Rayteam' Peschke	....	chief lighting technician
Martin Schaer	....	camera operator
Robert J. Studenny	....	grip (as Robert Studenny)
Gregor Tavenner	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
David Terry	....	dolly grip (as David 'D.T.' Terry)
Kelly Uchimura	....	camera loader
Todd Higgins	....	key grip: video unit (uncredited)
Jay Holben	....	best boy electric: video unit (uncredited)
Laela Kilbourn	....	additional second assistant camera (uncredited)
Ilya Lyudmirsky	....	first assistant camera: video unit (uncredited)
Alexandre Naufel	....	set lighting (uncredited)
Rob Nelson	....	video operator (uncredited)
David Norris	....	camera operator: Wescam camera (uncredited)
Peter Shultz	....	electrician: video unit (uncredited)
Russell Steen	....	gaffer: video unit (uncredited)
Daryl Studebaker	....	director of photography: video unit (uncredited)

Casting Department
David Anthony	....	extras casting
Brennan Dufresne	....	casting assistant (as Brennan du Fresne)
Leigh French	....	voice casting
Kimberly Rodgers	....	extras casting
Terri Taylor	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Nancy McArdle	....	costume supervisor
Marjorie McCown	....	assistant costume designer
Mary Jo McGrath	....	assistant to costume designer
Jose Morales	....	tailor
Maggie Morgan	....	assistant costume designer
Marcie Olivi	....	set costumer
Hugo Peña	....	key costumer
Romeo Pompa	....	set costumer
Kelly Porter	....	costumer: Mr. Hoffman
Ellen Ryba	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Gilbert Carreras	....	color timer (as Gil Carreras)
Blair Daily	....	additional editor
Mark Daily	....	first assistant editor
Joe Fineman	....	executive in charge of post-production
Jason Joseph	....	editorial production assistant
Ric Keeley	....	post-production executive
Bob Shugrue Jr.	....	assistant editor (as Robert F. Shugrue Jr.)
Mark W. Smith	....	assistant editor
Jay Vinitsky	....	post-production coordinator
Thomas M. Harrigan	....	editorial apprentice (uncredited)
John F. Lyons	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Chuck Ainlay	....	music engineer
Chuck Ainlay	....	music producer
Richard Bennett	....	musician: guitar
Roger Blanc	....	music arranger: band
Bob Bowen	....	music coordinator
Paul Broucek	....	music executive
Jim Cox	....	musician: keyboard
Chad Cromwell	....	musician: drums
Guy Fletcher	....	musician: keyboard
Mark Kaufman	....	music business affairs
Mark Knopfler	....	music producer
Mark Knopfler	....	musician: guitar
Mark Ralston	....	assistant music engineer
Dana Sano	....	music executive
Lori Silfen	....	music business affairs
Joel Sill	....	music consultant: Tribeca
Mark Jan Wlodarkiewicz	....	music editor
Glenn Worf	....	musician: bass guitar

Transportation Department
Steve Boyd	....	transportation coordinator
Jerry F. Johnson	....	transportation captain (as Jerry Johnson)
Greg Bronner	....	driver (uncredited)
Burton L. Warner	....	driver: Barry Levinson (uncredited)

Other crew
Rhonda Baer	....	location manager
Shelley Barbour	....	assistant: Mr. Hoffman
Alison Benson	....	assistant: Ms. Rosenthal
Lee J. Bognar	....	location assistant (as Lee Bognar)
Mauni P. Caves	....	location assistant: second unit (as Mauni Caves)
Robin Chambers	....	assistant: Mr. De Niro
Brett Cody	....	video coordinator
Eric Damore	....	caterer
Brad Davis	....	assistant production accountant
Ted Eccles	....	producer: special war/news segments
Hedi El Kholti	....	post-production accountant
Avy Eschenasy	....	production attorney
J.J. Geary	....	craft service
Emily Glatter	....	production coordinator: in-house
Madeleine R. Gubbins	....	production secretary
Gabriela Gutentag	....	unit publicist
Holly Hagy	....	production coordinator
Lana Hale	....	rights clearances
Terry Ham	....	set production assistant
Geoff Harding	....	location assistant (as Geoffrey Harding)
Tim Hillman	....	location manager: second unit
Erik Holmberg	....	production executive
Patrick Jager	....	rights clearances
Scott Keil	....	medic
Carlos Kotkin	....	assistant: Mr. Levinson
Gary Kurashige	....	medic
Nancy Lefkowitz	....	assistant: Ms. Rosenthal
Adam Leichtman	....	assistant: Mr. De Niro
Dirk Q. Long	....	caterer (as Dirk Long)
Kimberly Lynn	....	location assistant
Cathy Marshall	....	payroll accountant
Ginny Martino	....	business affairs liaison
Scott Maziroff	....	accounting clerk
Wild Bill McCrillis	....	caterer
Barron Miller	....	location assistant
Mindy Miller	....	stand-in: Ms. Heche
Kevin Milligan	....	set production assistant
Jaime Oria	....	video conversions
Jeffrey Craig Owens	....	office production assistant (as Craig Owens)
Romano Paoletti	....	set production assistant
Tony Patterson	....	assistant video coordinator
Steve Peterson	....	caterer
Kait Pickering	....	assistant production coordinator
Julie Pitkanen	....	script supervisor
John Polce	....	stand-in: Mr. De Niro (as John J. Polce)
Steven Pollock	....	producer: special war/news segments
Paul Prokop	....	production controller
Joshua Ravetch	....	production resources
Robert E. Roddy	....	medic
John Sanchez	....	office production assistant
Kas Self	....	stand-in: Mr. Hoffman
Maria Spaeth	....	assistant: Mr. Swerdlow
Bryan Thomas	....	caterer (as Brian Thomas)
Louise Tolan	....	office production assistant
William Turchyn III	....	craft service
Raymond Vigil	....	office production assistant
Harriet Voyt	....	assistant: Mr. Mamet
Steve Watson	....	caterer
Bonnie Weis	....	production accountant
Ryan Williams	....	video shop engineer
Susan Ahulii	....	craft service (uncredited)
Peter Albert	....	24 frame cable/utility: Washington D.C. (uncredited)
Chris Beal	....	assistant coordinator: second unit (uncredited)
Kathleen Beall	....	assistant location manager (uncredited)
Dale Dye	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
Freddie Joe Farnsworth	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
Dave Freed	....	assistant to cast (uncredited)
Georgette Hayden	....	production coordinator (uncredited)
Keith McNulty	....	teleprompter operator (uncredited)
Chris Miller	....	technical services (uncredited)
Tom Sellitti	....	assistant: Mr. Leary (uncredited)
Harland Williams	....	animal wrangler (uncredited)

Thanks
Johnny Rockets	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Baltimore Pictures
• New Line Cinema
• Punch Productions
• Tribeca Productions

Distributors

• New Line Cinema (1997) (USA) (theatrical)
• Fox Network (2001) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Concorde Filmverleih (1998) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Focus Film AG (1998) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Líder Films (1998) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Metropolitan Filmexport (1998) (France) (theatrical)
• Roadshow Entertainment (1998) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Vitória Filmes (1998) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1998) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (video)
• EDKO Film (Hong Kong)
• New Line Home Video (DVD)
• Roadshow Entertainment Video (Australia) (VHS)
• VCL Communications (Germany) (video)

Special Effects

• Matte World Digital

Other Companies

• Aero Mock-Ups  mock-up provided by
• Architectural Digest  special thanks
• BPI Communications  Billboard magazine used courtesy of
• Background Players  extras casting
• Birds & Animals Unlimited  wrangler
• Buena Vista Negative Cutting  negative cutting
• Casio Electronics  special thanks
• Cast & Crew Entertainment Services  payroll services provided by
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes and dollies
• Clearvision  rights clearances
• Dennis Davidson & Associates Public Releations (DDA)  international public relations
• E=mc²  24-frame video design
• FCM  multimedia
• Howard Anderson Company, The  main titles
• Howard Anderson Company, The  opticals
• J.P. Tod's Shoes  special thanks
• Kern County Film Commission  special thanks
• Mercury Records  soundtrack
• Merle Haggard and The Strangers  group performers
• Movie Movers  trailers
• Near North Insurance Brokerage  insurance provided by
• Ocean Way Studios  music recorded at (as Ocean Way Studios Nashville)
• Panavision  cameras and lenses
• Paskal Lighting  grip and lighting equipment (as Pascal Lighting)
• Riverside Community College Marching Band  special thanks
• Skywalker Sound  post-production sound services provided by
• Technicolor  color and prints
• Technicolor  film processing
• Tom Bähler and Friends  group performers
• Tomkats Catering  catering
• Travelcorps International  travel services
• Warriors  military advisors

Also Known As:

Bite the Bullet (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:14A (Alberta) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:PG (British Columbia/Ontario) | Denmark:11 | Iceland:L | Singapore:NC-16 | South Korea:15 | New Zealand:M | Argentina:13 | Belgium:KT | Chile:14 | Finland:S | France:U | Germany:12 (bw) | Mexico:B | Netherlands:12 | Norway:7 | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R | Australia:M | Brazil:18

Filming Locations:

Bakersfield, California, USA

Company:

Baltimore Pictures

Trivia:

Director Trademark: [Barry Levinson]Ralph Tabakin (Southern Man) has appeared in every Levinson picture from Diner (1982) to Liberty Heights (1999).

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: When the coffin is unloaded from the aircraft, the flag is positioned properly, with the blue field over deceased's left shoulder. At the memorial service, the blue is over the deceased's right shoulder.

Quotes:

Conrad 'Connie' Brean: You can't tell anyone about this.
Tracy Lime: It is like a union thing?

Movie Connections:

Featured in Mystery Science Theater 3000: Academy of Robots' Choice Awards Special (1998) (TV)

Soundtrack:

NEWS AND PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN MUSIC

Short & sharp satire on media manipulation

During the campaign to re-elect the president of America, an underage sex scandal between a girl scout and the president in the oval office. To divert attention spin doctor Conrad Brean is called in to manage the fall out and hold it off for the 11 days till the election. Conrad employs Hollywood producer Stanley Motss to produce a war in Albania to divert the media away from the real story.

This was made before Clinton was accused of misconduct with Monica Lewinsky and the subsequent re-start of military action in Iraq. This seemed to give it a much greater feel of realism and much more credibility. However even before this happened it was still a very sharp and very good satire on political spin, but also managing to have a dig at Hollywood movie types. The story is told in a very stage-play fashion and is dialogue driven with very funny moments throughout. It's not as terrifying as a real look at media manipulation could be because it chooses to be a comedy instead but it still makes plenty of valid points.

The two leads are excellent at the head of an all-star cast. De Niro manages to be a professor-style character while at the same time having an easily accessible sense of menace just beneath the surface. Hoffman is good sending up Hollywood producers well and drawing parallels between the creation of a film and the creation of political news stories. The cast also has a series of cameos and extended cameos who add both humour and quality to the film - Willie Nelson, Denis Leary, James Belsuhi, William H Macy etc.

Recently in the UK we've had huge problems with spin doctors running the Labour Government - to the extent that 11th September was described as "good" by one as it gave them the chance to bury several bad news stories that they had stored up. And more recently with various Governments' waging a media war to win support their stance regarding military action. This film doesn't make hugely serious points but it does make you think about how the media is used to shape public perception and make us think what those in charge want us to think.

Overall a very funny, very clever satire that has a great cast, the only criticism being that it stretches it's point a little too far with the "old shoe" section.